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May
2002
Okay. Finally, we thought of something. May means Air Force.
Yes, the month of May is an important month in Air Force history.
Why, we don't know. We haven't gotten that far yet.
We're doin' good just to get the copcar of the month done before the
actual middle of the month.
Actually, all
kidding aside, we have been sent this 20 year history with a
"personal perspective" story by Ron
Rhea (MSgt/USAF/Retired). Thanks much, Ron, for sharing your
career and cars from the USAF Air Police.
copcar dot com
presents: United
States Air Force Security Police Vehicles Law
Enforcement (1972-1992)
| I
envied my civilian
police friends…when I joined the Air Force in 1972 my first
patrol car was a 1967 Chevy station wagon. It had almost 100,000
miles on it, a base taxi that they slapped a couple of bubble
gum lights on, hooked up a push button wailing siren, and stuck
a radio inside of. It wasn’t even an automatic…three speed
manual on the column…
(Castle AFB, CA – 1974) 1967
Chevy Belair, former staff car
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| We were all thrilled
when in 1973, we inherited three new cars… new to us that is.
We got a 1967 Chevy BelAir that was the Vice Wing Commander’s
Staff car, and two 1969 AMC Rebels (Matadors?) that the Wing and
Base Commanders had driven.
(Castle AFB, CA – 1974) 1969
AMC Rebel and two 1967 Chevy Belairs, former staff cars
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| Air Force cop cars
were almost always just stock sedans that had been used as base
taxis. When I was stationed in Germany, we had three 1972 Ford
LTDs. OK on base, but a nightmare driving through narrow German
towns responding to off base accidents/incidents. We understood
why our German Police friends were driving VW Beetles…
In Korea, we drove standard
pickups. I returned to California in 1977 where we were still
using stock sedans… some mid-sized Fords and a couple of Ford
Courier pickups…painted baby blue yet!
(Hahn AB, Germany – 1975) 1972
Ford LTD
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| 1978 saw the first
real improvement for law enforcement vehicles in the Air Force.
A General officer was appointed as the overall commander for
Security Police, and he pointed out that the Air Force bought
fire and crash vehicles for the fire departments, ambulances for
the hospitals, but were still putting cops in beat up, old base
vehicles. 1978 saw the first mass purchase of police sedans,
Plymouth Volares’. Now, they didn’t have the full police
package powerplants, but they did have the heavy duty
suspensions, electrical systems, distinctive paint scheme…and
best of all, they were new!
(Lindsey AS, Germany – 1981)
Two 1978 Plymouth Volares and a 1980 Ford Fairmont
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| In ’79, we stayed
with Volares’ and in ’80 we began to phase in a smaller car,
the Ford Fairmont. Due to the fuel crunch, most of the cars from
80-84 were Fairmonts and Dodge Aspens.
(Maxwell AFB, AL – 1980) 1979
Plymouth Volare
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| In 1984, partly due
to some complaints that the cars we had were outperformed by
most other standard cars as well as some bases being quite large
where speeders were hard to catch, the Air Force mass procured
it’s first true police package vehicle, the Ford LTD. It was
my favorite, I guess because it was the first true police
package car I got my hands on…
(Norton AFB, CA – 1985) 1984
Ford LTD
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| the Air Force
required several hours of behind the wheel training in these
because the youngsters we had weren’t used to having such
power…and high performance vehicles just hadn’t been in the
inventory until then.
(Norton AFB, CA – 1985) 1984
Ford LTD
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| From 85-87, we had a
hodge podge of vehicles, some were the LTDs, Dodges and smaller
Fords, and in 1988 when I returned to California to my first
base, we received the Plymouth Grand Fury police package. In
1990-91, the Air Force began obtaining the Chevrolet Caprice
police package vehicle, and in 1992 as I retired after over 20
years in the Air Force, we received the Ford Crown Vic’s….
(Castle AFB, CA – 1990) Two
1988 Plymouth Grand Furys and an unknown smaller sedan?
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| During the last few
years, as I visit some of the bases I’ve been stationed,
I’ve seen the newer vehicles in Air Force markings… Impalas,
Crown Vics, Taurus’ Caprices…
(Lackland AFB, TX – 1991) 1991
Chevrolet Caprice assigned to the AF Security Police Academy
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| (Lackland AFB, TX –
1991) 1991 Chevrolet Caprice assigned to the AF Security Police
Academy |
| … and of course....
the old standby…standard pick up trucks…
(Norton AFB, CA – 1985) 1980
Chevrolet Pickup assigned to Aircraft Security
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This Memorial Day,
take a break from drinkin' beer at the lake and pause to remember those
who have served or are serving our country!
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